CINCINNATI (WXIX) – A former Hamilton County animal shelter employee turned herself in Monday after police say she pretended to be with an animal rescue and stole hundreds from a local veteran.
Springdale police took MeAnna Vice into custody Monday on a theft charge.
Investigators believe Vice scammed Nick Nunlist in February while she was working at Cincinnati Animal CARE. [Previously]
Nunlist says he’d fallen on hard times and was looking for a new home for his dog, Sam, whom he’d owned for a year. Nunlist was living in a hotel at the time.
He reached out to the shelter for help finding a rescue that could take Sam in and was put in touch with Vice, police say.
Court documents show Vice told Nunlist she would pick Sam up and take him in at a rescue. All Nunlist had to do was pay fees totaling $350.
But police say Vice pocketed the money and took Sam to the animal shelter instead. Police say Vice was never involved with the rescue in the first place.
Nunlist was left feeling as if he’d betrayed Sam.
“I hurt the dog, and that’s what hurts me,” Nunlist said. “I think she should go to jail for awhile, ‘cause she stole my money. She deceived me. She lied. Has she done it to other people? If she has, I hope they come out and let them know.”
Vice was terminated from Cincinnati Animal CARE immediately after the allegations came to light.
“It’s just kind of hard to believe it all happened, you know?” Nunlist said. “People, beware. Watch what you do. Just don’t turn over your dog to any yahoo.”
A source says $500 has been anonymously gifted to Nunlist in the aftermath of the alleged crime.
Cincinnati Animal CARE says Sam wa adopted to a new family in April.
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